The Iron is Hot - Cordelia & Wesley
I Fall in Love Too Easily
by Ashley
E-mail: celestial_slayer@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Note: "I Fall in Love Too Easily" is by Chet Baker
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!" A handsome, dark haired, blue-eyed man proclaimed. His eyes were full of love, as he gazed upon the woman who -shut off the TV. Cordelia sighed, and pulled herself off the couch. It was just another night in the May-Queen- turned-aspiring-actress-turned-demon-investigator's apartment. Instead of parties with starlets, it was infomercials with hasbeens.
She looked around the room, desperate for something to do. Cordy smiled, thinking of Xander. What would that smartass say now? "Stop this whirligig of fun, I'm dizzy!" She giggled. Was it that long ago that she had overheard him in the Bronze? 'Ugh! Stop thinking about Sunnydale!' She scolded herself. This is not how she wanted to spend her night.
Cordy's eyes fell on the phone. 'Right. Who am I going to call? Angel? Oh yeah, broody boy is *really* going to cheer me up. Wesley?' She paused. 'Well? What about Wesley?' She had no reason not to. They had become close friends recently, and she was surprised how much she enjoyed being with him. He joked around with her, and could even take *her* joking, without getting *too* flustered. They even talked seriously, like when she was debating prostiting herself to David Nabbit. Cordy grinned. 'Wes sure got excited about that one.' For more than a week he tried to convince her not to prostitute herself. She had brushed the idea away long before that, but it was nice to pretend she hadn't, just to hear him flatter her. She really did lo-
The TV switched on. "Dennis!" 'What was his childhood tram-oh yeah. Nevermind.'
The ghost held a hand written sign up:
IT'S MONDAY NIGHT. THINK, CORDELIA.
She grabbed the sign out of what she guessed was his hands. "YES, I know! Football night." Dennis turned the volume up, and proceeded to ignore her. A book fell off the coffee table as he put his ghost feet up.
Cordelia growled, grabbed her purse, and made a quick decision. "I'm going to see someone who *hates* football!" She yelled, trying to bug him. Dennis continued to ignore her. She threw open the front door and stepped out into the hall. Before she shut the door, Cordelia grinned. "And I'm going to have *sex* with him!" She slammed the door, and walked off, head held high in victory.
Inside the apartment, an extremly jealous Dennis threw the remote at the wall.
***
Fifteen minutes later, Cordelia knocked on Wesley's door. He opened it, dressed more casual than earlier that day. In other words, his shirt was untucked.
Putting on a dazzling smile ('Which isn't very hard to do around Wesley.'), Cordy tilted her head to the left, bounced in her shoes and said...
"Hi Wesley."
He smiled broadly. "My, Cordelia, this is quite a surprise. Is there anything wrong?"
Cordelia rolled her eyes. 'Would I be smiling like an idiot if anything was wrong?' "Would I be smiling like an idiot if anything was wrong?"
He laughed. "Your smiles are beautiful, Cordelia. Uh, I mean, you don't...well right now you, ah..."
She touched his arm, grinning. "Thanks, Wes. Now, are you going to invite me in?"
Wesley's mouth opened, but no sound came out, as he stared at her hand on his arm. 'Stay calm, act suave, Wesley. She just being friendly, in a friendly, *friends only* type manner...' He smiled, and looked back up at her. "Yes, of course, I'm sorry. Do come in...."
Cordelia bounced into the apartment, and immediately flopped herself onto the couch. "Thanks! It's Monday Night Football at my place, so I thought you and I could do something." 'Another dazzling smile....how can he resist me?'
"Well, I'm afraid I may not provide much, ah, entertainment, but you're welcome to stay." He smiled warmly.
"Great." Cordy nodded.
Wesley nodded.
Cordy tapped out a tune with her fingernails on the couch.
Wesley rocked back and forth on his feet. 'Say SOMETHING! Do SOMETHING! You are ALONE with the beautiful woman that you *adore* IN YOUR APARTMENT! THINK!'
"Would you care to dance?" 'IDIOT IDIOT IDIOT!'
Cordy smiled, surpirsed, but nonetheless pleased. "Sure! What to?"
Wesley was caught off guard. "Uh..."
She got up, and started to investigate his small CD collection. "Here's one!"
He gulped. 'Please be slow, please be slow...' She'd probably leave when she found out how badly he danced. But she knew already, didn't she? At her party-'
"Wesley? Will this do?" She held out a jazz CD.
"Yes, of course." He quickly put the disk in the stereo, and found a slow, romantic song. 'Romantic? Maybe that's not the best idea....'
Cordelia put her arms around his neck. His body tensed. "Are you ok?" She looked concerned. This wasn't really going as planned.
"Yes, I'm fine." Wesley put his hands on her waist and relaxed, a little. She pulled herself close to him, forcing the ex-Watcher to wrap his arms around her. He squeaked. 'She's so close!' He forced himself to loosen up.
Cordy smiled, as and rested her head just below his shoulder. 'That's better...'
The music started, and they danced slowly. 'Not really what I call dancing, but why am I complaining?' Wesley thought. She had never touched him like this before. She was so completely trusting.
I fall in love too easily
I fall in love too fast
Snuggling into Wesley's protective arms ('This feels so good, so right.'), Cordelia found her mind drifting. She thought back to late last year. Doyle. 'If he didn't die, I probably wouldn't be here right now.' She cursed herself for being so morbid. Was she happy about it? No, of course not. She had cried when he died, 'but was it out of friendship or....love?' After, she had thought that it was true, that she loved him. But she knew now. It wasn't true.
I fall in love too terribly hard
For love to ever last
It was just like Xander, wasn't it? Cordelia had thought that maybe, just maybe she loved him. But she was just very...attached to him. Even after he cheated on her. But he was simply a high school sweetheart.
My heart has been well schooled
'Cause I've been fooled in the past
Wesley looked down at her, and smiled.
'He looks like the guy on the TV, *eyes so full of love*,' she thought. 'Could it be...?'
But still I fall in love so easily
I fall in love too fast
"Penny for your thoughts." Wesley voice was barely more than a whisper.
Cordelia sighed. "It may cost more than that." She put her head back down, just below his shoulder. 'A perfect fit.'
They danced in silence, as the trumpet and piano solos played. Both trying to sort out the confusing mess that was their relationship. Both coming to the same realization....
My heart should should be well schooled
He stroked her hair. She looked up at him.
'Cause I've been fooled in the past
She removed his glasses, letting them fall gently to the floor. Those eyes....
But still I fall in love too easily
He bent his head downward. She closed her eyes, as thier lips touched softly...
I fall in love too fast
The End